Blazers shore up forward position

The most pressing needs for the Trail Blazers as they move through the summer are at point guard and power forward. The early focus has been on moves to fortify the frontcourt.

The Blazers have signed one European forward (Victor Claver) and will soon sign another (Joel Freeland). J.J Hickson, a restricted free agent who finished last season with Portland, also was retained.

Portland subsequently acquired forward Jared Jeffries and center Dan Gadzuric in a deal that sent point guard Raymond Felton and center Kurt Thomas to the New York Knicks.

Claver, a 6-foot-10, 235-pound small forward from Spain, has signed a three-year contract with Portland.

Freeland, a 6-10, 250-pound power forward/center from England, is expected to soon sign a deal with the Blazers.

Both former first-round draft picks by the Blazers -- Freeland in 2006, Claver in 2009 -- spent last season playing in Spain's ACB League.

Claver, 23, played with Valencia. He averaged 8.7 points and 3.5 rebounds in 25.8 minutes in 37 ACB and Euro Cup games.

Freeland, 25, played with Unicaja Malaga. He averaged 11.4 points in 17.6 minutes in 16 ACB games. He is expected to sign a three-year deal worth $9 million.

Jeffries, 30, averaged 4.4 points and 3.9 rebounds for the Knicks last season. Gadzuric, 34, played in just two games last season and did not score.

Unconfirmed reports had the Blazers signing Hickson, who turns 24 on Sept. 24, to a one-year contract worth $4 million. The 6-9, 245-pound power forward, who played collegiately at North Carolina State, averaged 15.1 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting .543 from the field in 19 late-season games for the Blazers after being claimed off waivers from Sacramento.

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NBA Team Report - Portland Trail Blazers - NOTES, QUOTES

--Kaleb Canales is one of the four finalists for the Blazers head-coaching position after going 8-15 as interim coach last season.

The Trail Blazers' coaching search has been pared to four finalists: Terry Stotts, Elston Turner, Steve Clifford and Kaleb Canales, The Oregonian reported.

The four candidates will interview in Portland next week, after which general manager Neil Olshey is expected to make a recommendation to owner Paul Allen.

Stotts is the lead assistant for Dallas and is the only finalist besides Canales with head coaching experience. Stotts has a 114-168 record in four seasons as a head coach in Atlanta and Milwaukee. His best season was in 2005-2006 when he led the Bucks to a 40-42 record and a playoff appearance. He is credited with directing Dallas' offense during the Mavericks' title run in 2011.

Turner has been an NBA assistant for 16 years, including the last two in Phoenix and a five-year stint in Portland (1996-2000). A noted defensive coach, Turner also spent time in Houston and Sacramento. A 6-foot-5 guard, Turner played eight years in the NBA with Dallas, Denver and Chicago and was known for his defense.

Clifford spent the past six seasons in Orlando, and has spent all of his coaching career under the Van Gundys -- Jeff in New York and Houston -- and Stan in Orlando. He is viewed as a teacher and mentor.

Canales, 34, is the youngest of the candidates, and the candidate who comes with the strong endorsement of the Blazers players. He replaced head coach Nate McMillan in March on an interim basis and went 8-15. A former video coordinator for the team who works out with star LaMarcus Aldridge, Canales coached the Blazers' Summer League entry and guided them to a 4-1 record. In the process, he worked extensively with heralded rookies Damian Lillard and Meyers Leonard.

--The Celtics acquired free agent SG Courtney Lee on July 20 in a sign-and-trade deal with the Rockets that also included the Trail Blazers, ESPN.com reported.

Boston's acquisition of Lee had been reported July 19, but a few details were subsequently added.

Lee will get a fully guaranteed four-year contract worth $21.5 million, according to Yahoo! Sports.

The Celtics sent JaJuan Johnson, E'Twaun Moore, Sean Williams and a second-round pick to Houston. Boston also sent Sasha Pavlovic and another second-round pick to Portland, ESPN.com reported.

The addition of the Blazers in the transaction allowed the Celtics to give Lee a higher salary.

Moore and Sean Williams are expected to be waived by the Rockets, according to the report.

Lee averaged 11.4 points in 30.3 minutes per game last season and shot 40.1 percent on 3-pointers. He played in 58 games, including 26 starts.

Johnson averaged 3.2 points and 1.6 rebounds for Boston last season, while Moore averaged 2.9 points for the Celtics and Williams 3.6 points for Boston and Dallas.

Pavlovic played in 45 games, including seven starts, and averaged 2.7 points.